Elizabeth Bentley shares life experiences.

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Monthly Archives: March 2018

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In Dallas, April is “Art Month” with galleries and art venues hosting a variety of events.

This year (2018), for the first time the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) sponsored ART 214 Juried Exhibition.

“As part of Dallas Arts Month, four cultural centers of the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) are hosting a multi-venue juried exhibition to showcase the works of artists who live in Dallas and the greater North Texas region from late March to early June.

Through this exhibition, OCA hopes to discover and develop relationships with new artists, provide opportunities for artists to exhibit their work for the first time ever or for the first time in one of our cultural centers, and cross pollinate artists who have previously exhibited at one cultural center by exhibiting their work at a different center. Another goal of this collaborative project is to draw in new audiences who have never been to (or even heard of) our Cultural Centers and to share audiences who frequent a specific center but have never experienced the others.”

More than 750 entries were received and, when the jury process was complete, 192 pieces by 137 local North Texas Artists were selected to be in the exhibition.

I’m honored that my entry, “Uncommon Stones,” is included in the exhibition at the Latino Cultural Center. Here’s the description that was submitted with the entry:

Finding an actual geode is a rare experience. They look like common stones but, when cracked open, they reveal their hidden beauty. So, I wondered, could I take clay and glass and create faux geodes? These Uncommon Stones are close but don’t rival the real thing. Clay and glass; reduction fired

Way back in early 2017, when the new administration in Washington D.C. was transitioning, chaos reigned. My heart sank. But, instead of railing against them on social media or crying constantly (as many of my friends did), I went to the studio and created a new totem with a circus theme. All the while, “not my circus … not my monkeys” ran through me.

This piece took some digging to get appropriate photographs; then, incorporate them into a monkey graphic; and, finally, send them off to have decals created. Originally, I wanted a three-ring circus, but the rings kept cracking/breaking during firing.

The finished piece is not symmetrical. It wobbles somewhat. And it stayed in my studio for well over a year until a friend was having a “meet the Democratic candidates” gathering at her home. I offered her the totem as a sort of door prize for anyone who would have it. She decided to turn it into a fund-raising opportunity and give attendees the opportunity to bid on it. And, someone did and took home the totem. Hope it lives a long and happy life in her home.